Cover assembly for portions of bicycle

Abstract

A bicycle fork/hub cover assembly overlies a portion of a front fork and the ends of the front hub to change the appearance of the front portion of the bicycle. The cover assembly basically comprises an outside cover portion, an inside cover portion and snap-on fastening elements that couple the outside cover portion and the inside cover portion to a bicycle frame. The outside cover portion includes a right hub cover section, a left hub cover section, a right outside fork tube cover section, and a left outside fork tube cover section. The inside cover portion includes a right inside fork tube cover section, and a left inside fork tube cover section. The fastening elements are coupled to the outside cover portion and the inside cover portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A cover assembly comprising: 
       a right hub cover section having a right enlarged part dimensioned and configured to substantially cover a right spoke flange of a hub, as viewed in a first axial direction along a longitudinal axis of an axle of said hub, and at least one fastening element; and  
       a left hub cover section having a left enlarged part dimensioned and configured to substantially cover a left spoke flange of said hub, as viewed in a second axial direction along said longitudinal axis that is opposite to said first axial direction, and at least one fastening element,  
       said fastening elements of said right and left hub cover sections being configured to fixedly attach said cover assembly to a front fork.  
     
     
       2. The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 
       said at least one fastening element of said right hub cover section includes a clip member, and said at least one fastening element of said left hub cover section includes a clip member.  
     
     
       3. The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 
       said at least one fastening element of said right hub cover section includes a right hub axle accommodating member, and said at least one fastening element of said left hub cover section includes a left hub axle accommodating member.  
     
     
       4. The cover assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein 
       said right and left hub cover sections have right and left side walls, respectively, and said right and left hub axle accommodating members are tubular flanges extending from said right and left side walls of said right and left hub cover sections.  
     
     
       5. The cover assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein 
       said at least one fastening element of said right hub cover section includes a clip member, and said at least one fastening element of said left hub cover section includes a clip member.  
     
     
       6. A cover assembly comprising: 
       a right hub cover section having a right side wall configured to cover a right hub end, and at least one fastening element; and  
       a left hub cover section having a left side wall configured to cover a left hub end, and at least one fastening element, said right side wall of said right hub cover section having a right peripheral wall extending from said right side wall to form a right cup-shaped member with a right fork tube cutout formed in said right peripheral wall; and  
       said left side wall of said left hub cover section having a left peripheral wall extending from said left side wall to form a left cup-shaped member with a left fork tube cutout formed in said left peripheral wall.  
     
     
       7. The cover assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein 
       said right and left side walls have substantially planar exterior surfaces.  
     
     
       8. The cover assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein 
       said right and left peripheral walls are partial cylinders that extend substantially perpendicular to said right and left side walls.  
     
     
       9. The cover assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein 
       said right hub cover section further includes a right connecting part having a substantially U-shaped cross section that extends radially from said right peripheral wall at said right fork tube cutout; and  
       said left hub cover section further includes a left connecting part having a substantially U-shaped cross section that extends radially from said left peripheral wall at said left fork tube cutout.  
     
     
       10. The cover assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising 
       a right outside fork tube cover section having a right lower end and a right upper end with said right lower end configured to extend from said right connecting part of said right hub cover section; and  
       a left outside fork tube cover section having a left lower end and a left upper end with said left lower end configured to extend from said left connecting part of said left hub cover section.  
     
     
       11. The cover assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections are coupled together by a middle section.  
     
     
       12. The cover assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section are integrally formed from a one-piece, unitary member.  
     
     
       13. The cover assembly according to  claim 10 , further comprising 
       at least one fastening element coupled to said right outside fork tube cover section; and  
       at least one fastening element coupled to said left outside fork tube cover section.  
     
     
       14. The cover assembly according to  claim 10 , further comprising 
       a right inside fork tube cover section coupled to said right outside fork tube cover section to form an elongated right fork tube cover; and  
       a left inside fork tube cover section coupled to said left outside fork tube cover section to form an elongated left fork tube cover.  
     
     
       15. The cover assembly according to  claim 14 , further comprising 
       at least one fastening element coupled to one of said right outside fork tube cover section and said right inside fork tube cover section; and  
       at least one fastening element coupled to one of said left outside fork tube cover section and said left inside fork tube cover section.  
     
     
       16. The cover assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections are coupled together by a middle section.  
     
     
       17. The cover assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section are integrally formed from a one-piece, unitary member.  
     
     
       18. The cover assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section form an inverted U-shaped member with a center opening formed in said middle section.  
     
     
       19. The cover assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections have substantially U-shaped transverse cross sections.  
     
     
       20. The cover assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections have substantially U-shaped transverse cross sections.  
     
     
       21. A cover assembly comprising: 
       a right hub cover section having a right side wall configured to cover a right hub end, and at least one fastening element; and  
       a left hub cover section having a left side wall configured to cover a left hub end, and at least one fastening element, said at least one fastening element of said right hub cover section including a right hub axle accommodating member, and said at least one fastening element of said left hub cover section including a left hub axle accommodating member,  
       one of said right and left hub axle accommodating members being a tubular flange extending from a corresponding one of said right and left side walls of said right and left hub cover sections, and the other of said right and left hub axle accommodating members being a discontinuous flange extending from a corresponding other one of said right and left side walls of said right and left hub cover sections.  
     
     
       22. The cover assembly according to  claim 21 , wherein 
       said at least one fastening element of said right hub cover section includes a clip member, and said at least one fastening element of said left hub cover section includes a clip member.  
     
     
       23. A cover assembly comprising: 
       an outside cover portion including a right outside fork tube cover section, and a left outside fork tube cover section;  
       an inside cover portion including a right inside fork tube cover section, and a left inside fork tube cover section; and  
       fastening elements coupled to said outside cover portion and said inside cover portion.  
     
     
       24. The cover assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections are coupled together by a middle section.  
     
     
       25. The cover assembly according to  claim 24 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section are integrally formed from a one-piece, unitary member.  
     
     
       26. The cover assembly according to  claim 24 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section form an inverted U-shaped member with a center opening formed in said middle section.  
     
     
       27. The cover assembly according to  claim 26 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections have substantially U-shaped transverse cross sections.  
     
     
       28. The cover assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein 
       said right outside fork tube cover section and said right inside fork tube cover section are coupled together to form an elongated right fork tube; and  
       said left outside fork tube cover section and said left inside fork tube cover section are coupled together to form an elongated left fork tube.  
     
     
       29. The cover assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein said fastening elements are snap-on clips. 
     
     
       30. The cover assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein 
       said outside cover portion further includes right and left hub cover sections that are coupled to said right and left outside fork tube cover sections, respectively.  
     
     
       31. The cover assembly according to  claim 30 , wherein 
       said right hub cover section includes a right side wall configured to cover a right hub end, and at least one fastening element; and  
       said left hub cover section includes a left side wall configured to cover a left hub end, and at least one fastening element.  
     
     
       32. The cover assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein 
       said right side wall of said right hub cover section has a right peripheral wall extending from said right side wall to form a cup-shaped member with a right fork tube cutout formed in said right peripheral wall; and  
       said left side wall of said left hub cover section has a left peripheral wall extending from said left side wall to form a cup-shaped member with a left fork tube cutout formed in said left peripheral wall.  
     
     
       33. The cover assembly according to  claim 32 , wherein 
       said right hub cover section further includes a right connecting part having a substantially U-shaped cross section that extends radially from said right peripheral wall at said right fork tube cutout; and  
       said left hub cover section further includes a left connecting part having a substantially U-shaped cross section that extends radially from said left peripheral wall at said left fork tube cutout.  
     
     
       34. A cover assembly comprising: 
       a right hub cover section having a right side wall configured to cover a right hub end, and at least one fastening element;  
       a left hub cover section having a left side wall configured to cover a left hub end, and at least one fastening element; and  
       a cover member extending between said right and left hub cover sections, said cover member being configured to cover right and left fork tubes and a top portion of a front fork, said cover member having fastening elements configured to fixedly attach said cover member to said front fork.  
     
     
       35. The cover assembly according to  claim 34 , wherein 
       said cover member has an outside cover portion including a right outside fork tube cover section, and a left outside fork tube cover section; and  
       an inside cover portion including a right inside fork tube cover section, and a left inside fork tube cover section.  
     
     
       36. The cover assembly according to  claim 35 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections are coupled together by a middle section.  
     
     
       37. The cover assembly according to  claim 36 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section are integrally formed from a one-piece, unitary member.  
     
     
       38. The cover assembly according to  claim 36 , wherein 
       said right and left outside fork tube cover sections and said middle section form an inverted U-shaped member with a center opening formed in said middle section.  
     
     
       39. The cover assembly according to  claim 35 , wherein 
       said right outside fork tube cover section and said right inside fork tube cover section are coupled together to form an elongated right fork tube; and  
       said left outside fork tube cover section and said left inside fork tube cover section are coupled together to form an elongated left fork tube.  
     
     
       40. The cover assembly according to  claim 35 , wherein 
       said right and left hub cover sections are coupled to said right and left outside fork tube cover sections, respectively.